He repared in his time manie churches, abbeies and houses of religion, which by occasion of warres had beene sore defaced by him and his father, but speciallie he did great cost vpon the abbeie of saint Edmund, in the towne of Burie, as partlie before is mentioned.  He also built two abbeies from the foundation, as saint Benets in Norffolke, [Sidenote:  Which is supposed to be Barclow:  for Ashdone it selfe is halfe a mile from thence.] seuen miles distant from Norwich, and an other in Norwaie.  He did also build a church at Ashdone in Essex, where he obteined the victorie of king Edmund, and was present at the hallowing or consecration therof with a great multitude of the lords and nobles of the realme, both English and Danes.  He also holpe with his owne hands to remooue the bodie of the holie archbishop Elphegus, when the [Sidenote:  1020. Simon Dun.] same was translated from London to Canturburie.  The roiall and most rich iewels which he & his wife queene Emma gaue vnto the church of Winchester, might make the beholders to woonder at such their exceeding and bountifull munificence.

Thus did Cnute striue to reforme all such things as he and his ancestors had doone amisse, and to wipe awaie the spot of euill dooing, as suerlie to the outward sight of the world he did in deed; he had the archbishop of Canturburie Achelnotus in singular [Sidenote:  Leofrike earle of Chester.] reputation, and vsed his counsell in matters of importance.  He also highlie fauoured Leofrike earle of Chester, so that the same Leofrike bare great rule in ordering of things touching the state of [Sidenote:  King Cnutes lawes.] the common wealth vnder him as one of his chiefe councellors.  Diuerse lawes and statutes he made for the gouernment of the common wealth, partlie agreeable with the lawes of king Edgar, and other the kings that were his predecessors, and partlie tempered according to his owne liking, and as was thought to him most expedient:  among the which there be diuerse that concerne causes as well ecclesiasticall as temporall.  Whereby (as maister Fox hath noted) it maie be gathered, that the gouernment of spirituall matters did depend then not vpon the bishop of Rome, but rather apperteined vnto the lawfull authoritie of the temporall prince, no lesse than matters and causes temporall.  But of these lawes & statutes enacted by king Cnute, ye may read more as ye find them set foorth in the before remembred booke of maister William Lambert, which for briefenesse we heere omit.

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Variance amongest the peeres of the realme about the roiall succession, the kingdome is diuided betwixt Harold the bastard sonne and Hardicnute the lawfullie begotten son of king Cnute late deceassed, Harold hath the totall regiment, the authoritie of earle Goodwine gardian to the queenes sonnes, Harold is proclaimed king, why Elnothus did stoutlie refuse to consecrate him, why Harold was surnamed Harefoot, he is supposed